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SOTA c77s01
Text It was a beautiful late summer's day: the grasses swayed in the soft breeze outside of Ponyville, and the sun shone down, warm and carefree. Good weather, glorious weather; for some reason, that almost artistic perfection, that simple happiness a nice day could bring, and the contrast it formed with the ravaged Ponyville, made it all the harder for the ponies and Nibelung to process the fact that so much of their beautiful little village was in ruin. Big Mac shook his head slowly, wiping sweat from his brow, wearing a patch over his glass eye to protect it and remind the sometimes-a-little-slow dwarves he couldn't actually see on that side. They didn't really get the concept of a 'glass eye:' instead, they seemed to think it was some kind of magical gemstone that gave him his sight back. But he didn't need that any more than he needed all the other luxuries his little sisters were always trying to push on him. The farm came first... well. Home and family come first. The stallion glanced up over the torn-apart walls and into the emptiness beyond: that bare, dead void that they had cleared of all debris, but nopony had quite dared to put forwards any real plans for. Not even Cowlick had said anything about what she thought they should do with it, and usually she was the first to take the initiative or say something stupid. Often it amounted to the same thing with Cowlick, but... she was a good pony. Great friend to Dash, great friend to Ponyville. Sometimes he thought she was probably a little crazy, but that was okay: they were all a little mad here. The crimson stallion turned around, hefting up a stack of boards over his back and for a moment, gazing out down the northern highway. Everything out here had been repaired, the day was so beautiful, so warm, so normal that it made him think for a moment that when he turned around, he was going to see Ponyville was perfectly okay, that horrible attack had never happened, and all his friends and neighbors were fine and healthy. He glanced over his shoulder, and instead sighed a little at the sight that greeted him: walls that had been so badly damaged in places they had been forced to tear them down and start from scratch, and a gaping mouth that was slowly being filled with a framework of iron, over which they would be laying insulation and planks and eventually tougher plating. And beyond that and the Nibelung and ponies working over the perimeter wall, just an empty void where Pegasi now had trouble flying and even when you walked over the ground, you felt like something was trying to crush you flat. Big Mac shook his head a little, then frowned as he felt a tingle along his spine. Several others nearby seemed to notice it as well, glancing up from their jobs and where they were resting, and all eyes turned back down the highway to gaze up as reality rippled. Big Mac's eye sharpened at this, feeling himself stiffening up, ready to leap into action if it was something hostile... but a moment later, the sky itself seemed to shatter outwards in a blast of golden flames, and a bridge of rainbow light and energy burst from this hole, arching downwards and slamming into the ground. The stallion's eye widened as others stared in amazement over the crackling rainbow arch, as white flames danced eagerly along the sides of the light-made solid, leading out of a tunnel of white light... and then, with a flash from the vortex above, a pair of ponies charged side-by-side out of the opening in the air, followed by several more sets of ponies and a familiar Draconequus. And Big Mac sighed in relief at this, setting the load of boards aside as Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild both hit the ground, before his eye widened slightly in surprise at the sight of them. He couldn't see any major changes to Scrivener's form, but Luna's body now clearly mirrored his larger scars... but on the other hoof, the sapphire mare was grinning widely and her wing was back in place, despite the fact that the crimson earth pony had seen it torn off with his own eye. They were shortly joined by Celestia and Discombobulation, then Antares and Prestige, and finally Pinkamena and Sleipnir came last just as the portal above closed and the Bifrost began to dissolve away into motes of radiant light. “It's good to see you. We were starting to get a little worried.” Big Mac said with a smile as he approached, and Luna only huffed before she rose her head proudly as he drew his gaze pointedly over her, not needing to say anything to get his question across. Luna, however, clearly decided to take another meaning, leaning forwards and waggling her eyebrows as she asked teasingly: “Tell me, Macintosh, is that interest I see in thy handsome eye and writ across thy handsome features? For I would be more than happy to entertain a little flirting, and perhaps a bit more... especially if thou desired to bring thy handsome friend Soarin' along for the... oh, shall we say... ride?” Big Mac only chuckled at this, and Scrivener smiled slightly, shaking his head and saying mildly: “Excuse Luna. You know how some stallions get. Testosterone and all that.” “Oh shut up, Scrivener Blooms. At least I have this testy-roan.” She paused, then grinned widely and winked over at Big Mac. “As a matter of fact, at the moment I most feel like a testy roan. Will thou not indulge me, as one stallion to another?” “Nope.” Big Mac said kindly, and Luna huffed at him before the stallion turned his gaze to Celestia, bowing his head to her politely for a moment before saying in a softer voice: “Cowlick said to tell you she needs to talk. Don't know what about, Lady Celestia.” “I think we all have a lot to talk about, actually. I'll go and speak to her.” Celestia paused, then glanced up towards the sky and studied it for a few moments before saying finally: “It's late afternoon now, Luna, Scrivener. You should hold off for tonight and leave in the morning... you owe us that much, at the very least.” Luna grumbled a little, but then she sighed and nodded in agreement, mumbling: “Aye. I suppose thou art right, or at least right enough. Very well then, fear not. Scrivener Blooms and I intend first to head to Scarlet Sage's home in any event and speak to her, and we all know that Apple Bloom is a terrible gossip. She has picked up many awful habits from Cowlick, I shall have thee know.” “Yup.” Big Mac only shrugged placidly, earning a flat look from the sapphire mare before he studied the group, then cleared his throat a little after his eyes drew over Antares and Prestige and the way that even though they had just leapt across entire worlds, they looked almost muted, and were staring longingly at one-another. “I'll be goin' then.” Luna frowned at this, then looked over her shoulder before she nodded to herself, eyes filling with understanding as she saw how distracted the two younger ponies were. Bob began to open his mouth, but Celestia looked up at him pointedly, and so the chaos entity only sighed before silently making a tightening gesture by his jaw, as Pinkamena grumbled and half-dragged Sleipnir away before he could say anything himself. Antares and Prestige didn't even seem to realize that everyone else had headed off until they were left standing alone in the middle of the highway, apart from the laborers around the not-even-half-repaired walls. They both looked towards these, watching the Nibelung workers moving back and forth, studying the ponies all helping out as much as they could, and gazing beyond at the white emptiness that now made up the northern section of Ponyville. There was silence for a few moments, and then Antares cleared his throat quietly before smiling a little over at Prestige, shifting awkwardly before he murmured: “It's good to be back, huh?” “I... yeah.” Prestige said softly, and she hesitated before looking up silently towards the sky. “But I'm going to have to head back to Valhalla soon, Antares. We can't be together, as much as I want to be. Not... not right now at least.” “Will you be staying for tonight?” Antares asked almost desperately, and Prestige smiled faintly before shaking her head slowly, and the young stallion swallowed a bit before he asked again, hurriedly: “Well, can you at least come into town? I know Ava would love to see you, and the others-” “No, Antares. I'm sorry. I have to leave now. I... I should go alone, too, I think.” Prestige said quietly, looking into his eyes, and the stallion trembled a bit before the mare smiled faintly. “I have to walk all the way to Subterra to get help with a portal from the demons, and... I... I think if I spend too much longer with you alone...” There was silence or a few moments, and the two nodded to each other, studied each other, before Antares licked his lips slowly and then gazed deeply into her eyes as he leaned forwards and whispered: “I know we can't be together, and I know this is stupid, and I know you want me to move on and live my life. But I really don't care and I'm going to kiss you anyway.” Prestige began to open her mouth, and Antares simply leaned forwards and kissed her firmly, and Prestige's eyes fluttered before they slid slowly closed and she couldn't stop herself from kissing him back. Their mouths worked together slowly, tasting each other, feeling a thousand memories blossoming in their minds with that passionate meeting; they slipped closer, deepening it, both wanting it to last forever and yet knowing they had to part, as tears rolled down the cheeks of both stallion and mare unfelt, unheeded. They finally parted after what felt like a too-short eternity, gazing at each other before Antares smiled faintly, reaching up and wiping her faintly-glowing tears away with one hoof before he said finally: “I love you.” “I love you too.” Prestige replied in a quiet voice, and then she smiled faintly at him, trembling for a few moments before she stumbled around in a circle and simply broke into a sprint down the highway, leaving Antares Mīrus staring after her, tears still streaming down his cheeks and the glowing tears of the mare on his hoof. He watched her run until she vanished into the distance, staring longingly after her, frozen like a statue before he slowly looked down at his hoof. He studied the tears still glistening there for a moment, then leaned down and silently licked them up, closing his eyes and giving a faint smile as he lowered his head forwards. There was silence for a few moments, and then Antares sighed quietly before he turned slowly around and strode down the highway and into the village, smiling faintly at the Nibelung he passed before his eyes roved ahead and he shivered a bit at the pressure that spread over his body. But the feeling of heightened gravity pressing down wasn't entirely unwelcome. In a way, it gave him a strange and not entirely-unwelcome reminder of Selene. The empty, ashen-colored north of Ponyville was almost completely abandoned: he only passed a few ponies that were carefully raking the hardened earth, and a few demons that seemed to be... praying. Funny, demons praying... but demons sometimes needed something to believe in too, Antares figured. And demons had emotions that often ran deeper than mortals: ponies forgot to look past themselves and those right next to them, after all. Antares shook his head slowly, trying to get his thoughts in order... but by the time he stepped out of the hollow northern section of Ponyville and into the downtown area, he felt like his mind had just gotten more jumbled up instead of less. He had so many conflicting thoughts and worries and anxieties, and he just wished that... he could do something about anything at this point. Although what he hoped for most, even if it seemed impossible at this point, was that he could find some way to help save his parents. The glossy-black unicorn sighed quietly, and then he glanced up with a frown of surprise as a familiar voice said softly: “Hey, don't beat yourself up so much, big brother. We know you're doing the best that you can.” Antares smiled a little despite himself, his eyes roving towards Apps and feeling a twist of relief through his stomach; it was like he hadn't expected anyone to be here for him after he'd bolted off to Decretum... or maybe just that some part of him had been terrified he'd come back and find everything was different or that while he'd been gone, something else horrible had happened. But no, there his cousin was, and there was Tender Trust and Avalon on either side of her, all of the mares looking exhausted but far from dead, even speckled with signs that until recently they had all been helping with repairs. He studied the three of them before the paint-splattered demon smiled warmly at him, seeming as relieved to see him as he was to see her. “I knew I felt Mommy's presence. Did... did it all go okay?” Antares hesitated for moment, and then he nodded slowly and murmured: “Yeah, it did. But we didn't.... I mean...” He lowered his eyes then shook his head and finally burst out, surprised by his own vehemence: “It's just like Decretum all over again, though! Mom and Dad are going off alone, and I'm not going to be able to do a damn thing to help them, and... I just wish that I could. I just wish that...” “Why can't we?” Aphrodisia asked after a moment, and Antares looked up at her dumbly before the demon shook her head firmly. “Antares, you can't just let them leave, you can't just keep letting things go out of your control and swallow it, you gotta stand up and fight! You deserve more, better than to always end up having to stay behind even after everything you and we and all of us have been through, but part of the reason you always get stuck behind is 'cause you keep just... just accepting everything is what it is, instead of trying to push for better.” The young stallion stared with surprise at the demon as both Avalon and Tender Trust looked up at her as well, and Apps blushed a little and lowered her head before she whispered: “I just know that I could never give up Mommy and Daddy even once. I can't imagine how you're supposed to go through that twice.” The unicorn smiled faintly at this, then Avalon looked up and said quietly: “Much as I hate to agree with Apps, she's right. And I hate even more to admit this but... the thought of losing my own Mom and Dad? I couldn't go though that.” “Your mother and father should not feel they have to face this alone. I have been taught to respect our elders, but I have also been taught that even the wisest minds can make foolish decisions. And that there is no worse disrespect than blind obedience, like they are slavers and we are less than our animal cousins to them.” Tender Trust said softly, then the half-Phooka gave a faint smile. “Oka was afraid and upset while I was being treated, but she also told me she was proud of me. And that while she does not approve of me fighting as a warrior, she would have been far more upset had I run away and left my friends to suffer. Sometimes we must go against the wishes of our elders and follow the path given to us by our hearts, if we truly desire to do what is best for friends and clan.” Antares looked down silently at this advice, closing his eyes before he murmured: “Dammit. I... I know. You guys are right and... I do have to do something. I have to...” He halted, then looked up and nodded firmly once. “Yeah. I gotta do something. I remember once when Allonym told me that, dragged me out into the middle of nowhere and then just... left me there. And I did do something. I had to go against Aunt Tia's orders and Sleipnir's advice and trick my way past your Dad, Aviator, but I did something and... helped slow down Griselda. I just wish sometimes that... I had done more than that. Better than that.” There was silence for a moment, and then the glossy-black unicorn smiled a little at his friends and said finally: “I'm gonna do something.” The mares smiled at him, and Antares nodded firmly before he turned and ran quickly away, sprinting through the streets of Ponyville and heading towards where he knew his parents would be. The only place they could be right now, as he pushed himself hard to run down the streets with his head lowered and his mane blowing back in the wind, eyes focused sharply forwards as he told himself firmly: I'm gonna do something. I gotta do something, anything... I gotta do this. He made his way through the streets of Ponyville, not slowing until he was crossing the yard of his big sister's home. Then he almost abruptly stopped, staggering onto the patio and freezing up in front of the door, swallowing thickly once before he straightened, took a slow breath, and then pushed his way inside and walked quickly to the archway leading into the den. His plans were knocked a little awry when Innocence bolted into his leg and hugged him fiercely with a happy laugh, and Antares looked down at her with surprise before he gave an awkward smile, eyes flicking lamely up. Luna and Scrivener smiled warmly from the floor as Scarlet Sage glanced up with a quiet laugh, her eyes warm as Apple Bloom waved. “Good, there y'are. Scarlet was just about to send me looking for you.” Scarlet smiled, and Innocence laughed as Antares picked his little sister up and cradled her in one foreleg before he forced himself to look up at his parents, saying firmly before he could stop himself: “I want to come with you.” Scrivener and Luna both looked surprised, and Scarlet Sage's head reared back as Apple Bloom cocked her own. Innocence, meanwhile, only happily clung to her big brother, looking almost content for the first time since he had last seen her, and the glossy-black unicorn quieted as he looked down at this, feeling much of his resolve crumbling. He looked up again at his parents, at the way the were both looking at him with faint smiles... not just at him, but at him, holding Innocence so naturally against his body, his baby sister quiet in his foreleg. He looked down at her with surprise after a moment, and then Innocence murmured a single name into the silence: “Antares.” “Yeah... yeah. I... I got you, Innocence. Your big brother's here.” Antares said quietly, and then he glanced up silently and gave a faint smile across at his parents, adding softly: “This isn't fair.” “No. No, 'tis not.” Luna agreed softly, and then she smiled faintly and closed her eyes. “I am proud of thee. I love thee. And it may surprise thee, Antares... but thy father and I would honor thy wish if we could. Thou art an adult, strong, better than we can ever be. As great a warrior? Nay, not yet... but one day thou shall be. And thou shall do it without staining thyself in blood and poison as we have.” There was silence for a few moments, and then Antares looked down at Innocence and studied her silently as she looked up at him. Her big amethyst eyes looked at him with trust and adoration before she reached up and grabbed at his nose quietly, and Antares laughed a little before he whispered: “Either you really do love me or you really hate me, Sin. I just can't decide which.” “Love.” Innocence smiled, and Antares closed his eyes tightly and trembled for a moment, holding his little sister: this child of Twilight Sparkle and Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild, and he breathed shakily in and out for a few seconds as he understood that he did have something he had to do. Something that was just as important, even though it meant he also had to let his parents... He halted, then looked up silently, and Scarlet Sage smiled before murmuring: “I just got finished yelling at them, Antares. You can try it if you want. But if you keep pushing going with them I'm going to yell at you too.” Antares laughed a little at this, then he shook his head and said softly: “I want to, Scar. Yell at them and... go with them. But I just... I... we gotta trust in them.” Antares looked up at his parents, swallowing a little before he murmured: “So I'm gonna try and trust in them. Even if you... you guys are really stupid sometimes.” Scrivener laughed and shook his head slowly, and Luna grinned widely and gazed warmly at her son, nodding firmly a few times. “Aye, we are, and 'tis funny but... I am pleased to hear thou hast figured that out. I hope that it helps thee understand that... thou should not feel thou should just follow in our hoofsteps. Thou should be thy own pony first and foremost, and carve thy own path... for 'tis...” She stopped, then shook her head and softened, studying Antares with a small smile. “'Tis what is best, I think. But as thou hast said, I am stupid. We both are. And Antares, 'tis... 'tis not fighting and running headlong into the war that makes thee an adult. 'Tis making a choice like this... to fall back and stay to protect thy sister... that proves thy adulthood and maturity.” Antares laughed a little and bowed his head forwards silently, and there was quiet for a few moments before the unicorn stallion turned his eyes down to Innocence. Apple Bloom smiled a bit, saying after a moment as she reached up to touch her wife's belly gently: “I gotta say that I'm glad for it, at least. Dealing with her for the last little while has been a lot harder than I expected. Now I'm scared as hell of what it's gonna be like when dealing with twins.” “Well, you are the father.” Scarlet Sage teased gently, and Apple Bloom laughed and slapped her pregnant belly tenderly, then smiled and closed her eyes, leaving her hoof resting against the mare's stomach as something inside shifted and lightly pushed back. “You're gonna be a great dad though, all the same.” “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Apple Bloom turned her eyes to Scrivener, smiling awkwardly at him as she said finally: “You guys just... you both better make it back this time, you hear? Hurt enough losing you last time, and... I know we're both gonna need your help with the twins.” Scrivener and Luna traded looks, then Antares looked up from Innocence before he carefully set her down and murmured: “Wait. Don't promise anything.” All eyes looked in surprise at the glossy-black unicorn, and he glanced up and smiled a little across at his parents, studying them before he said softly: “I don't want you to make a promise to come back because... it makes me feel like we're trying to drag you home or something. And last time you promised it... didn't turn out so well. Maybe I'm just being superstitious but... let's not tempt fate this time. Don't make any promises, don't make it sound like you have to... I want you guys to come home because you want to. Because your family's here and your friends and... we all want you back here.” There was silence for a few moments, and then Scrivener and Luna traded small smiles before they both nodded slowly and the stallion said quietly: “Then we won't promise anything. But we both know how lucky we are and... that there's a lot of reasons for us to make sure we get back in one piece, as soon as we can.” Antares smiled a little, and Scrivener and Luna both lowered their heads before Innocence bounded happily towards her parents and gazed up at them brightly. Luna and Scrivener looked back down at their daughter, and then the sapphire mare swept her up and smiled warmly into her eyes, murmuring: “And thou must be strong for us, Sin. But know that no matter what happens, thou hast family, and thou art loved.” “Mutt. Daddy... Mommy?” Innocence looked up curiously at Luna, and the sapphire mare smile faintly before nodding slowly. “We all love you very much.” murmured the sapphire mare, reaching up to stroke the filly's face gently, fighting down the urge to make promises she wasn't sure she could keep, and then she took a slow breath before sitting back and saying softly: “But thy parents will have to go for a little while, Innocence. There is a job we must do... there are evils that must be stopped, and more importantly, a chance to save those important to us.” “Chesshure?” Innocence looked up, and Luna closed her eyes as Scrivener shifted quietly. The entire room went silent for a moment, and Innocence trembled a little. Antares studied the mare, and thought that she understood in her way what had happened... but that didn't mean the little filly wanted to accept it. “Chesshure...” Luna reached down and picked Innocence up, simply hugging her close, and Antares hesitated only for a moment before he strode quickly across the room to hug his mother and his little sister. Innocence whimpered a little between them, and Luna felt both thankful and terrible all at once, surrounded by the presence of her family and promising herself and Scrivener silently she would see them again, and they would punish Thesis for what he had done. Top ↑